Boss appointed for Makarewa oat milk plant
Former Southlander Justin Riley has been appointed chief executive of an industry-leading endeavour to build an oat milk plant near Invercargill.
Riley is now the chief executive of NZ Functional Foods, the company overseeing plans for a proposed carbon-neutral plant at Makarewa, which could be operating by the end of 2022 and pumping out 40 million litres a year.
Ten years ago baristas would say they could pick who drank alternative milks, nowadays ‘‘you can’t tell,’’ as a large cross section of society consumed nondairy milks, Riley said.
‘‘Alternative milks and especially oat milk has moved quickly from being a niche food, and is gaining enormous global traction amongst those who are consciously prioritising sustainability in their food choices.’’
Sustainable products and lactose intolerance were major global food trends that would attract investors for the plant, he said.
Stephen Tindall’s investment company K1W1 and the Southland regional development agency Great South are the current shareholders.
A lot of investors were attracted by carbon-neutrality and sustainable farming, he said, and the plant would be ‘‘as carbon-neutral as possible’’,
Riley said.
Oat milk had overtaken almond and soy in the UK, Germany, Sweden and was picking up in the US, he said.
‘‘This has to be more than green-washing.’’
New Zealand’s oat growing centre of excellence was in Southland, so Riley believed building the plant here made sense.
‘‘It’s awesome for Southland, and it’s awesome for New Zealand.’’
The former Southland Boys’ High School student left Invercargill as a 21-year-old, and the new job is his fourth chief executive role.
Riley and wife Moira have relocated to Invercargill, where he is bumping into old friends.
Their four sons are dotted throughout the world.
When he told his son in London about the new oat milk job, his son said ‘‘I’ve been drinking that for ages’’.
Board chair Roger Carruthers said an investment document was being prepared and would be out by the end of the month.
‘‘We have had strong interest from highly qualified investors, and we are looking forward to taking those conversations to the next level in the coming weeks. Justin’s appointment is a key milestone in that work programme,’’ Carruthers said.